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Abeywardena Balasuriya (9 March 1947 – 26 March 2010 Sinhala: අබේවර්ධන බාලසූරිය), was a Sri Lankan musician, playback singer, writer and a television program producer. An A-grade singer with a career spanned more than three decades, Abeywardena made a vital contribution to the music field of Sri Lanka.

Personal life

He was born on 9 March 1947 in Mugunuwatawana, Chilaw, Sri Lanka. He completed education from St. Mary's College, Chilaw. His father, Kandappuhami was a harmonium player. In mid 1960s, he worked in the Air Force. When the job became a barrier to the singing career, he left the army and joined the Paddy Marketing Board as a technical officer.

He was married to a fellow singer, Nirajala Sarojani. He met Niranjala while singing in for Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation’s (SLBC) "Upuli" album. Niranjala is the younger sister of veteran songstress Malkanthi Nandasiri. Malkanthi is married to Prof. Sanath Nandasiri, an icon in Sri Lankan music. Some of the other popular members of the family include, Nirmala Ranatunga, Kumar Pieirs, Manoj Peiris, and Sakunthala Peiris. Sakunthala worked at Veritas Radio in Manila. Manoj Peiris is a renowned tabla player and musician of Sri Lanka. Nirmala Ranatunga is also a singer who was married to late Wijeratne Ranatunga, a prominent tabla player. Nirmala's daughter Sewwandi Ranathunga is also a singer.

In his late years, he had a nervous breakdown and had difficulty speaking. He died on 26 March 2010 at the age of 63 while receiving treatment in ICU at the Colombo National hospital. His remains laid at his residence at No. 38, Yahampath Mawatha, Maharagama. The funeral took place at the Borella cemetery at 4 p.m. on 31 March 2010. With the demise of Abeywardena, his wife Niranjala has also retired from singing.

Career

He started his music career as a vocalist at Sarasvathi Mandapaya. On 29 January 1963, he passed the singing examination conducted by Navaka Mandala program under the guidance of Amara Bandu Rupasinghe and Elmo Fernando. However, in the meantime, his father was died and halted musical career. Then in 1966, he joined SLBC and became an A grade singer. He participated his first radio program, Nevum Mihira. In the program, he sang his first solo, "Kavurudo Kavurudo". Since then, he voiced several popular songs for the lyrics made by Sunil Ariyaratne, Ajantha Ranasinghe and Premakeerthi de Alwis. He also participated in many radio musical programs such as Swarna Varna, Swarna Rangana, Miyarasa Vindana, Nurthi Gee and Prabuddha Gee.

In 1976 he became a playback singer with the film Madol Duwa. In the same year, he sang the popular duet "Bonda Meedum Kanduralle" with Sujatha Aththanayaka for the film Duhulu Malak. He later sang the song "Isuru Devindu" in the film Sarungale as well as in the films Chuda Manikyaya, Baba Ketu Hati and Sandakada Pahana. Apart from that, he also provided articles for newspapers. His song "Piyanani Ma Nawatha Upannoth" is a song that has been firmly established in the field of Sinhala music. Some of his other popular hits include: "Anurādhapuraya Obayi", "Man Næthidā Mē Raṭa", "Avasan Husma Poda", "Bhavayen Bhavē", "Oba Maṭa Mal Kækulaki" (with Nanda Malini), "Malavungē Nagarayē" (with Nalani Ranasinghe), "Vælibath Ivvā Matakayi" (with Indrani Perera), "Nohan̆ḍan Sūriya Kānthā" (with Indrani Bogoda), "Kumbuke Liden" (with Nirmala Ranatunga), and "Kīra Palā Dalu" (with Chandrika Siriwardena).

Meanwhile, he attained a scholarship to Germany. In 1982, when Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation was established, M.J. Perera who was the Chairman of the Rupavahini invited Abeywardena to produce the musical program Nandana Vindana. Then he became the director and producer of the show. The program became very popular among the public and one of the iconic musical programs in Sri Lanka. Then in 1985, he produced the program Anduna where the program won the Vijiya Rupavahini Sammana Award for the best television program in 1987. Apart from that, Abeywardena took part in the International Record and Music Publishing Market fiesta representing the television.

In 1991, he released his first music album Kalpana Lova. Then he released three more albums in the following years: Ran Reka (1994), Anuradhapuraya Obai (1996) and Sunflowers Samaga Abey (1999). Also along with his wife, twelve CDs titled "Abey-Niranjala Vishista Gee" have also been launched. In 2006, he performed his maiden musical concert 'Tira'. After the popularity of the concert, he toured across the island as well as many foreign countries.

Legacy

To commemorate the 66th birth anniversary of the Abeywardena Balasooriya, a musical show titled "Thun Path Rata" was held on 9 March 2011 at 6 pm at John de Silva theatre. During the show, a CD comprises 20 tracks, titled "Apa Gayu Prem Ge Gee" sung Abeywardena-Niranjala was launched. On 12 July 2013, the patriotic song series sung by the Abeywardena and Niranjala was released under the name "Ran Divaina" at 4.00 pm at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute. It is the first time that a duo has released a CD of sixteen patriotic songs. The song collection was to be released in 2008 for the 60th Independence Diamond Jubilee, but they could not finish the job as Abeywardena got sick.

Filmography

References

1. ^ "It is nine years since Abeywardena Balasuriya passed away on the 26th". Divaina. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
2. "Singer Abeywardena Balasuriya's funeral on wednesday". Department of Government Information. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
3. "In memory of Abeywardena Balasuriya March 24th". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
4. ^ "Turn back time". Daily News. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
5. ^ "Dear Abe I have made your dream come true: Niranjala Sarojini". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
6. "'I was mesmerised with the music he played'". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
7. ^ "A quiet, loving voice". Dinamina. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
8. "Manoj Pieris: The lovable star tunesmith". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
9. "My secret is that there is no secret Orchestral scholar Manoj Peiris". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
10. "Rhythma Tharanga". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
11. "Niranjala reveals the reason for the silence". Divaina. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
12. "It has been three years completed that Abe has said goodbye". Divaina. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
13. ^ "Death of a gifted musician". Daily News. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
14. "My heart is full of thoughts about him: Niranjala Sarojani". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
15. "This is Abe!". Divaina. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
16. "Death of popular vocalist Abeywardena Balasuriya". Daily News. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
17. "Memory of Abeywardena Balasuriya". Divaina. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
18. "Nandana Vindana looking back these days". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
19. "TV workers who left us". lifie. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
20. "Nandana Vindana with the beauty of the past". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
21. ""Thun Path Rata" Celebration Songs Evening Next Wednesday From a CD of Prime's songs we sang". Divaina. Retrieved 15 June 2021.

External links

• Songs of Abeywardena Balasuriya

v t e Sinhala music
Sinhala language Music of Sri Lanka
Male singers	Abeywardena Balasuriya Ajith Bandara Allen Ratnayake Amarasiri Peiris Annesley Malewana Anton Jones C. T. Fernando Chandra Kumara Kandanarachchi Chandrasena Hettiarachchi Chitral Somapala Clarence Wijewardena Cliff Foenander Dasun Madushan Dayan Witharana Dayarathna Ranatunga Deepal Silva Desmond de Silva Dhanapala Udawaththa Dharmaratne Brothers Dinesh Kanagaratnam Edward Jayakody Freddie Silva Gamini Susiriwardana Gratien Ananda Gunadasa Kapuge H. R. Jothipala Henry Caldera Indrachapa Liyanage Ivor Dennis J. A. Milton Perera J. P. Chandrababu Jagath Wickramasinghe Jaya Sri Kamal Addararachchi Karunarathna Divulgane Kasun Kalhara Keerthi Pasquel Lahiru Perera Lakshman Wijesekara Lionel Ranwala M. S. Fernando Madhumadhawa Aravinda Mervin Perera Milton Mallawarachchi Mohideen Baig Morris Wijesinghe Nadeeka Guruge Nalin Jayawardena Namal Udugama Narada Disasekara Nihal Nelson Nihal Samarasinghe Nuwan Gunawardana P. L. A. Somapala Paul Fernando Pradeep Rangana Prince Udaya Priyantha Priya Suriyasena Punsiri Soysa R. A. Chandrasena R. Muttusamy Rookantha Gunathilake Rukshan Perera Sadiris Master Saman Lenin Sanath Nandasiri Sathish Perera Senaka Batagoda Shelton Perera Shihan Mihiranga Bennet Shirley Waijayantha Sisira Senaratne Somasiri Medagedara Suneera Sumanga Sunil Edirisinghe Sunil Perera Sunil Santha T. M. Jayaratne Tharanga Goonetilleke Upali Kannangara Victor Rathnayake Vijaya Kumaranatunga W. D. Amaradeva W. D. Ariyasinghe
Female singers	Amara Ranatunga Angeline Gunathilake Chandralekha Perera Chandrika Siriwardena Charitha Priyadarshani Deepika Priyadarshani G. S. B. Rani Indrani Perera Indrani Wijebandara Latha Walpola Leela Asoka Madhavee Wathsala Malani Bulathsinhala Mariazelle Goonetilleke Mercy Edirisinghe Mignonne Fernando Nanda Malini Neela Wickramasinghe Nirosha Virajini Nuwandhika Senarathne Pradeepa Dharmadasa Priyani Jayasinghe Rukmani Devi Saheli Rochana Gamage Sashika Nisansala Sujatha Aththanayaka Umaria Sinhawansa Uresha Ravihari Wasantha Sandanayake
Music directors	Allen Ratnayake W. D. Amaradeva Ananda Samarakoon Bibiladeniye Mahanama R. A. Chandrasena Clarence Wijewardena Dilup Gabadamudalige Dinesh Subasinghe Gunadasa Kapuge H. M. Jayawardena Kasun Kalhara Lakshman Joseph de Saram Lionel Algama Lionel Ranwala Marcelline Jayakody Mohammed Gauss Nanda Malini Patrick Denipitiya P. L. A. Somapala Premasiri Khemadasa R. Muttusamy Rohana Weerasinghe Rookantha Gunathilake Sarath Dassanayake Shelton Perera Shihan Mihiranga Bennet Somapala Rathnayake Stanley Peiris Sunil Santha Thilan Wijesinghe Victor Rathnayake W.B. Makuloluwa
Lyricists	Ajantha Ranasinghe Arisen Ahubudu Bandara Wijethunga Carlo Fonseka Cliff Foenander D. T. Fernando Dharmasiri Gamage Herbert M. Seneviratne Karunaratne Abeysekera Kumaratunga Munidasa Lucien Bulathsinhala Madawala S. Rathnayake Mahagama Sekara Marcelline Jayakody Nalin Jayawardena Premakeerthi de Alwis Saman Chandranath Weerasinghe Senaka Batagoda Sydney Chandrasekara Vicumpriya Perera Wasantha Dukgannarala W.B. Makuloluwa

• 1947 births
• 2010 deaths
• 20th-century Sri Lankan male singers
• Sinhalese singers
• Sri Lankan playback singers
• People from Chilaw
• People from British Ceylon